21st Century Skills

21st century skills are useful to anyone who is planning on going into any career field. Many of the skills are not only instrumental to my career choice as a historian but also in my daily life. Solving complex open-ended problems, thinking critically and making judgements, and communicating and collaborating are all skills that I have to use daily in researching and writing for history. I have to check the credibility of a document and then figure out how it relates to my thesis. The papers are usually open-ended because much of it is up to interpretation. Some skills such as taking charge of financial, health and civic responsibilities can be crucial to anyone. Personally at 20 years old, I am already looking into getting a financial adviser. Not because I have a lot of money but because I want my financial matters taken care of now so that when I am on my own after college it will be one less thing to worry about.  Understanding cultures is another skill that I think everyone should acquire. It is not only interesting to learn new cultures but it can help when working on a global and international scale. This trip should help us understand and appreciate some of the other cultures out there besides our own.